Reflections of Historic Homes Tour Atlanta, Georgia

On June 27th I, along with 15 fellow students, toured some of the historic homes in and around Atlanta. To my delightful surprise, the event was quite engaging and educational. As students, we are always reading about art and architecture, but it was fun to have a professor bring us out to sites to see these beautiful homes.

The Root House

Interior Shot, Root House

The Root House, formerly owned and lived in by William and Hannah Root, is a 19th century middle-class home found in Marietta, GA. It was constructed ca. 1845 and is an example of Greek Revival architecture. This I-home is two stories high and one story deep, including a hallway entrance opening into a parlor and dining room and bed chambers above. The kitchen is separated from the house and includes a beautiful cast iron stove with food preparation and storage furnishings. There is a humble garden in the back as well.

William Root moved into his home and became one of the first merchants and druggists in Marietta. It was said that some eleven people lived in this home at the same time, including children and grandparents! As you can see from the interior picture, the house is dressed for the summer with slip covers. Originally built on the corner of Church and Lemon Streets, this home now lives just two blocks away and is a museum.

Smith – Manning House

Exterior shot, Smith-Manning House

The Smith-Manning House was original owned by Dr. Sydney Smith who came from South Carolina in the mid-nineteenth century. The House was built ca. 1845 and is an example of Greek Revival architecture. This grand home has three floors where the main steps would have originally entered to the second floor hall. The ceilings are high and the space is open. The windows are tall, providing much light into the house. The middle floor is three rooms deep and two wide, with an enormous hall and center staircase. The lower floor includes a cooking area and more utilitarian work and living spaces. The entire house is currently under re-construction.

This is an example of a wealthy Georgian home constructed about the same time as the Root House. The home is located on Rockford Plantation (or township) which is 900-acres large. Dr. Smith was said to have owned 60 slaves, a town house, a tanyard, and a blacksmith shop in Marietta as well as the Rockford Plantation. After he died, the house was used as a headquarters during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and then a hospital for wounded soldiers. In 1893, John L. Manning acquired the property.

Lawrence House

Exterior shot, Lawrence House

The Lawrence House is a gothic revival style cottage in Marietta built ca. 1870-1880. It is believed that the construction began much earlier but was burned during the Civil War fires. The gabled L-shaped home lived Robert de Treville Lawrence, son of Col. Samuel Lawrence, and his wife and children. The exterior is painted yellow with extensive gothic detailing on the four porches that surround the house. The interior is spacious with high ceilings and large windows and doors looking outside to patios. There are two large arched doors that connect the parlor and dining room. The house later added a kitchen, a porch, bedroom, and two bathrooms to the space that were not part of the original floor plan. The large staircase leads up to smaller bedrooms on the second floor.

This house is located at 267 Whitlock Avenue in Marietta, GA and is currently on sale for purchase.